Washboard attachment.



H. J. KNIGHT.

WASHBOARD ATTACHMENT. APPLICATION FILED APR-1, 191s.

1,188,279, 7 PatentedJune 20,1916.

ii 12 5 18 w 43 144\ M um wmyem attmm HARRIET J. KNIGHT, 0F TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

WASHBOARD ATTACHMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented; J 11116 20, 1916.

Application filed. April 1, 1916; Serial No. 88,288. i

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRIET J. KNIGHT, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Toronto, in the Province of Ontario and Dominion of Canada, have invented new and useful Improvements in Washboard Attachments,-of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wash boards, and more particularly to an attachment therefor.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a device of the above stated detachably mounted upon the front surface I of the backing of the wash board, and a soap holding plate hingedly connected with the body portion and movable in a plane perpendicular with the plane of the board, whereby upon the active position of the soap holding plate, will permit of the contact of the clothes with the soap mounted thereon, and permit of the plate being swung to an inactive position when the use of the same is no longer desired.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel features, details of construction, and combination of parts which willhereinafter be more fully set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the appended claims.

Figure l is a perspective viewof a wash board, showing my device attached thereto, and mounted thereon in active position; Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the soap holding plate swung to inactive position; Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the attachment removed from the board; and Fig. 4: is a detail vertical sectional view, showing the plate in inactive position.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference refer to corresponding parts in the several views, A designates the washboard and B the backing thereof.

The attachment, designated in its entirety by the reference character 5, is constructed from non-corrodible material, and comprises a body portion 6 shown as constructed from sheet metal and of substantially rectangular configuration. At points adjacent the opposite ends 7 the bodyportion is stamped out to provide spurs or prong members 8, said spurs or prong members 8 adapted to penetrate the backing B of the board for mount, ing the attachment on the front face thereof and in a horizontal plane with respect to the board. The said body portion 6, along its lower longitudinal edge, is curved outwardly and laterally to provide the attachment with a longitudinally disposed trough member 9, )rovided with a series of drain openings 10. This trough member 9 serves as a soap receptacle for holding small pieces of soap, and further prevents the soap from falling through the usual slot in the top of the wash board down within the wash tub,

the latter not being shown. The top longitudinal edge 11 at spaced intervals through out the longitudinal extent thereof, is bent to provide opposite end knuckles 12 and an intermediate knuckle 13 for receiving the pivotal pin 14, said pin passing through the knuckles 15 of a supporting plate 16 and swingingly connects the plate to the upper longitudinal edge of the body portion 6. This plate is constructed of sheet metal or the like material, and is adapted to swing in a vertical plane with respect to the body portion 6, and in a perpendicular plane with respect to the backing B of the wash board. This plate constitutes a body portion 17 provided with a series of prongs 18 and 19 respectively. The prongs 18 are arranged longitudinally of the body portion and stamped integrally therefrom and bent at right angles thereto, while the prongs 19 are formed by the bending of the free longitudinal edge 20 of the plate laterally and in a plane with the plane of the prongs 19. These prongs 18 and 19 are adapted to penetrate a cake or bar of soap for retaining the soap on the plate 16. It will further be observed that by bending the sets of prongs 18 and 19 in the same direction or in the same plane one to the other, presents the plate with a smooth back surface 21, and permits of the firm contact of the back of the plate 16 with the front face 22 of the body portion 6 when it is desired to swing the plate to active position, which in turn positions the soap in convenient position to permit of the soaping of the clothes being washed, without the necessity of the handling or contacting of the soap by the party performing the washing operation of the clothes. It is to be further stated that after the soap has become worn, due to the perpetual action of the washing operation of the clothes, to an unsuflicient thickness to warrant of the same being supported by the soap plate, the plate can be swung upwardly to a position to define the prongs in confronting relation with or against the backing of the wash board, in order that the hand of the operator will not be injured by such prongs, during the washing operation of the clothes.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the advantages of construction and of the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, and while I have described the principles of operation of the invention, together with the device which I new con sider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of the claims appended thereto.

I claim:

1. As a new article of manufacture, an

attachment for wash boards comprising a body portion having its lower longitudinal edge formed with a perforated trough, and a plate hingedly connected with the upper longitudinal edge of the body portion, and adapted to contact with the front face thereof upon the active position of said. plate, said plate being provided with a series of spurs for supporting a cake of soap thereon.

2. In combination with a wash board including a backing, an attachment therefor comprising a body portion formed with spurs adapted to connect the attachment to the back of the wash board, and a soap holding plate hingedly connected to the body portion of the attachment, and adapted for a vertical swinging movement with respect to the body portion.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARRIET J. KNIGHT.

Witnesses H. M. CI-IRISTMAN, M. G. KNIGHT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents eacln by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

